He speaks of a 'toolbox' that we've been given full of things like imagination and dreams. Given? By whom? From the universe? Who gave us tools to think morally and rationally? Who gave us tools to create incredible works of music and art Harlan? He has a strong opinion, but still..it's just one man's opinion of God.
O.o Personally, I think he's right, but... it's a little ironic that he's the one who came up with AM, the psychotic, all-controlling 'God' in the game/short story 'I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.' XD
i disagree with him on many points but still respect him as an author and a person. also i like the bit he said at the end, kinda reminds one of the roman catholic church a few(dozen) generations past. basicly to sum this comment up i agree w/brownking96 completely
I'm a proud Christian and I strongly believe in God, however I do think Harlan Ellison has some pretty interesting views. While I might not agree with some of them I certainly took into consideration some of his views.
@brownking96 You are possibly one of the only Christians I respect. You aren't arrogant and you don't tell everyone that they should believe in what you do and call them "lesser" if they don't. You actually take into consideration other people's views on things, even though you do not agree with them.
Hey I'm a Christian, I have a personal relationship with Jesus, It's fantastic and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Why Does a lady who follows Jesus all her life gets bone cancer and despite copious amounts of drugs cries out obscenities, that she would never have dream of, but yet some person wins the lottery, and then drinks smokes and enjoys life till the day they die. I DON'T KNOW.....God's still real and a strength to me....Amen.(So be it) I'll take my chances.
at 00:48 - "the universe doesn't know we're here" is what scares people more than Satan or evil humans. This is why believers are so aggressive towards atheists and even agnostics.
Just because millions of people have believed something doesn't make it so.
If a man would follow, today, the teachings of the Old Testament, he would be a criminal. If he would follow strictly the teachings of the New, he would be insane.
This is an interesting man. He does not believe in God yet he clearly believes in morality and ethics. This is strange to me because it seems that without a God there would be no point in being a good person. There also would be no clear definition of what a good person is or is not. He believes in good and evil (evil being just as important as good) but not prime movers of some sort. A much better person to talk to then richard asshole dawkins
@Stormbringera7x I don't find it strange to believe in morality and ethics. They're right there in front of us and we see the effects of both. I don't see how you can honestly think that without God there would be no reason to be nice. Plenty of people in the world don't need God to be nice.
Babies are born, they grow into adults gathering knowledge that has been passed on from times before, they use that knowledge to determine what is right and wrong. Right and wrong is a man made definition.
'without a God there would be no point in being a good person.'
people always say this kind of thing, and it always makes me think of what moms used to tell their kids: 'Be good for goodness' sake'
the 'point' of being good is it's a better way to be-even if you don't believe in "God', the payoff is there in better nights sleep and better and deeper friendships and relationships[ Being good=being trusted]
@Stormbringera7x I hear the argument that "good cannot exist without God" rather often, and that presumption is potently incorrect. Ellison's definition of "good" isn't fundamentally preceded by religion, and reasonably so. Rather, he clearly roots his idea of "good" in natural law and pragmatic utilitarianism. "Good" is that which brings about the greatest amount of benefit for the most people for the longest possible period of time.
@Stormbringera7x This is utter crap. And you're right, there is no clear definition of morality. Morality is contextual, a system formed by society, not by a god. You consider murder a sin, right? In ancient Aztec culture, human sacrifice was a moral necessity. To be chosen for sacrifice was considered an honor, and the person sacrificed was revered. You consider suicide a sin? In Japan, seppuku was the ultimate means for a samurai to redeem honor for his people and emperor.
@highwind8124 Who said Harlan here was saying the person who gets cancer was a non-believer?
Believe in God all you want but for an all loving God to be the reason a football player plays so well at his or her sport is silly. To think God would allow one team to win against another, who could or could not be believers in God, is even more silly.
IMO, God and religion of any kind is just rules set by people form long ago to make us live a certain way because of promise. Nothing more.
He's an interesting character, but he's very pesimistic and has little sympathy for others born into indoctrinating societies. Though he has a few points worth discussing.
This is not Harlan Ellison on god. This is Harlan Ellison's brain on popcorn. And I'm getting a little tired of people capitalizing "god". It doesn't deserve that type of reverence.
@Minion066 Yeah...good...er...point (?). Actually, not sure that you have a point. Just saying shit to make other people try to decode you? That's so 2010...
@Minion066 The decoding of the universe? More like the decoding of sophistry...the smokescreen you and your ilk put up to make it all seem so complex.
He likes to hear his own voice that's for sure. I read one or two of his books in the seventies. I have just listened to three of his rants on YouTube. That's enough Harlan Ellison for one lifetime, I think.
I just want everyone to know that I am a Christian, and I love Harlan Ellison's stories and encourage others to read and enjoy them. While I disagree with his opinions on religion and God, I respect the right of others to be entitled to their own opinion. Thank you.
@posthumanhero Maybe if you gave up being posthuman, and worked to regain your HUMANITY, you'd understand. Transhumanism is turning us into unfeeling robots...
My interpretation : A football player thanks God for the touch down, because God placed him here on earth. Not because God was with him during that touch down. Someone who uses logic would have analyzed both situations and would have made a logical decision based on both the factors of God and Logic. You sort of bypassed both, Harlan, and jumped straight into pessimism. In other words, you seem to be the kind of person who holds a grudge, not logic.
@roxstudiodesigns I played 3 years and I never remember ever hear my team mates thank god for putting them on Earth after a touch down. Rappers are even worse when they literally thank god for receiving their awards. If there is a god I really don't think. Can you imagine "Yes it is time that we award punks ass hoes, that need to give the ass for some cash after the drive by."
@MrArmageddon666 Football players are not thanking god for putting them on earth when they do anything. They're just pointing at stuff, because they've seen some other douchebag do it. Actually, that behavior is so widespread, I think that it must be a paid act. People never did that crap in years past. People have become more and more senselessly demonstrative of nothing in the past...oh, 40 years.
I'm a Christian and all, but he's right about the athletes thanking God. God has more important things to do than watch over a game played by overpaid crybabies.
@mattrichanderson : How does that matter here? Why dont we just try and understand what he is talking about and may or may not agree with him. If he has AIDS which is a bad case or not doesnot influence our opinion about the video, does it?
Why are there so many characters in these comments? what are these people talking about? Con't we just say its a nice first video and hope he gets more?
@heavens7thloaf : Black holes are not 'somewhat unseen', they are *completely invisible* to the naked eye because light in the visible spectrum does not escape from them due to their tremendous gravitational field also affecting electromagnetic radiation. Occult means hidden, and though black holes are invisible, they are not hidden. I don't care about claims not backed up by evidence. If I should experience a chance encounter with a ghost (technically competent or not), I'll get back to you.
@heavens7thloaf : Odd question, I suppose you mean 'do ghosts exist'? As if ghosts and black holes have anything in common, or the occurrence of one enables the existence of the other. But if direct comparison is important to you, then by the same token, sure - if you can prove how they also distort gravity fields. Seriously, though: memories of other people reside in the brains of the still living, not in the molecules of the air. What is dead is dead, but the brain is a sucker for illusions.
@heavens7thloaf : The universe is neither evil nor benign. Those words are constructs, applicable only to ourselves, not the void. Indifferent is a better word, yet still awkward for something lacking the capacity to care. Magicians are real, magic isn't - even if illusions can be beautiful. Sorry about your thumb, try to enjoy life before you end up in said grave. No reason to sit around and wait for the inevitable. Btw, black holes are unseen, yet science proves them by indirect observation.
@heavens7thloaf : it's called evolution. Over billions of years, organisms have evolved by necessity to survive in ever changing and often dangerous environments. The universe STILL doesn't care, because it is simply not a sentient being with the capacity for emotional investment. I suppose it's only natural for pattern seeking human beings to compare other organisms to ourselves, but bestowing life upon the vast nothingness is a bit on the far side, even for an alleged astral rape victim.
@heavens7thloaf : If this world is so bad, why not just give up? Or better yet, try to help and improve it? After all, there is no known alternative, and complaining on YouTube won't accomplish anything! Also (again), locations cannot be evil, but the distribution of wealth and assets may be unfair for a number of reasons, another matter entirely. I understand you're a Christian, do yourself a favor and watch the Free Will video by user 'GrapplingIgnorance', video ID is X7P-6LQBN80. Signing off.
Some looneybrained twat has marked this video as abusive on Facebook, just the kind of behavior you'd expect from the frightened little sheep of 'God' unable to cope with pertinent criticism on the singularly stupid idea of an omnipotent yet invisible supernatural being creating itself just to mindf**k the unlucky inhabitants of an insignificant planet so that they can kill one another over different ridiculous opinions about what their sky-daddy thinks they should and should not say and do.
So he just thanked "heavens" that Twain backs him in he's belief there is no God. Also, Twain was a believer in God, just not in the bible or a Christian.
Athletes thank God in a wider sense, for the gifts they were given, and partly the luck to prevail with them. Harlan is being disingenuous. He also gave PKD the heebie jeebies.
@Quasi8 It really doesn't matter, wheater there is a god in some sense, or not. Harlan hates, when the people refuse to take responsibility for the deeds, he hates the fools, who don't use their brains and use their own god to their purpose. They don't hear really him(noone has heard him), they just need the right to feed their hatred, arogance. Harlan's talking about ethics, kindness and so on. He's not a devil. He just hates the evil and the evil doesn't mean god, but the bad people, who abuse
@Quasi8 supernatural things by their selfishness and the desire to control masses by giving them a free redemtion and a neverendnig life. Harlan has said many wise things and has written many amazing books. If you just listen to him and forget about the question God or not and you think about, what is he really saying, you can easily hear: Ethics, courage, kindness, friendship. Isn't that good? How can be this person disingenuous? The religions say the same thing. People are bad and they
Sorry to interrupt again, but i forgot to say something important. I have a proof, that soul doesn't exist. Let me get this straight. If you want to sense something, you have to have sensors as eyes or ears. If you want to reed them, you have to have a brain. So if you die and you lose your brain and your sensors, you can't feel or sense anything. You can have a soul, but it doesn't matter, because you won't have the abilty to suffer in hell or something else.
"If one truly believes there is an all-powerful Deity, and one looks around at the condition of the universe, one is led inescapably to the conclusion that God is a malign thug." twain
Im really surprised on how few dislikes this has, deliberately against god. I wonder if atheism and like for his type of literature are linked, thus bringing those people to search for Harlan Ellison, bringing us here.
Atheists can be decent, nice, kind people, but if they've not "mind-melded" with Jesus they're gonna be in a world o' hurt when their body dies and their soul's got nowhere to fly.
But anybody who's melded or "locked on" to Jesus before they die will find their soul homing in on him like a guided missile.
In military parlance, missiles without lockons "go stupid" and fly off into the void.
The bottom line is Jesus was a great guy so why the hell wouldn't anybody want to meld with him anyway?
@TungstenKid So you say, that he, who loves us all, cares about if you believe in him or not? So if I'm a good person and I don't believe, I go nowhere? And that's the justice? P.S. There's no soul. There's no reason. You won't have an infinite orgasm after you die. Forget it. P.P.S. I think, that's just stupid to think, that we are something more, than other animals. We fucked up everything we could. The catholic churh are hypocrits. They talk about poverty and wear golden robes and have
@TungstenKid milions. They aren't able to solve the children problem. I know, there are some good guys there, but the most of them.... I find ridiculous to think, that the universe was created for one soul, who wants to judge people he creates. The earth is not the centre of the universe. Now, how does it help you, if you take his body and blood? It just doesn't make you better. You can just wipe all your sins every sunday. And when the god apears, it ever happens without a reason and doesn't
@TungstenKid help or change anyone... mostly. The god really didn't say anything to people. Like the Saint Mathew holiday. Why should god like pepole to bake bread and leave it on the ground? Why doesn't he wont something reasonable, like make a peace with your enemies, or work all day? It's not god. It's the PEOPLE. The stupid people and the smart, who control them. Most people are just stupid, hypocrites, lazy, envious. They take those rocks of greednes and pity and throw tham at each other.
@TungstenKid the bottom line is,is you are delusional.why would i want to meld with some guy that never existed? no real evidence at all,just biblical scholars words for it.nah!! even if he did exist,even if he was born of a virgin birth,which is ridculous,why should anyone believe he is the son of the creator of the universe? add that to the fact he was a false messiah anyway.no one called him jmannuel,he wasnt descended from david etc etc.you think he resurrected a whole town? you are insane!!
@TungstenKid so jesus is the son of god,but is god and the holy spirit at the same time? really normal way to think.
so basically god turned into a ghost to fuck a women who had a baby who was gods son and god at the same time,then he could treat his mother like shit then disappear for 2/3 of his"documented" life,reappear so he could convince people he was gods son and die for our sins and ascend into the sky to be reunited with errrrr.............himself??????? why is your god the real one?
@TungstenKid Well, I've met Harlan face to face and can vouch that he's a real person... in fact, about as real as they get.
Jesus? Unless you're talking about the guy who runs the paint department at our local Home Depot and pronounces his name "hey-ZOOS," I've never met Jesus.
When he says "I don't know, you don't know, and nobody will ever know" He is 100% right on.I hate when people try to tell me they know what's going on. Bullshit.
Seems like god debates are just for atheists and religion to tell each other: you're the bad. Well, I'm atheist and I go with Ellison, and I think, that it all basicaly depends on your reasoning and well thinking. If you're reasonable enough, it will be my pleasure to meet you. The belief itself doesn't make you good or bad. Sorry for my bad English.
Why does the clip cut out (at 0:45) the second part of Mark Twain's quote about god being "a malign thug?"
Anyhow..insightful documentary. Previously the only footage of Harlan I'd seen was back in the 90s when Sci Fi Channel ran a weekly 'buzz' show that often featured a review/rant segment with him. He turned me on to Frankenheimer's Seconds!
Harlan, along with George Carlin, Chomsky and Bill Hicks, had tremendous influence on helping to shape my political views during my formative yrs.
I love intelligent Americans like Harlan. I hate thick twats like Paris Hilton. Stupid export TV in Britain from America, stop poisoning the proletarian minds with up their own arse, stupid, thick Americans!
It isn't enough that our atoms were created in the furnace of long dead stars or the fact we are stuck to what basically is a planet stabilized by an out-sized moon, or we circle a vast nuclear fireball 93 million miles away. It isn't enough we are the sentient beings living on the crust of molten rock in a rapidly cooling universe born from a singularity.. No, some fuckers have to invent "Sky Pixies" to judge us.
Isn't it just a *tiny* coincidence that we are the only observable planet in the universe upon which life is found? To not look for a purpose behind that coincidence requires a suspension of disbelief in exponential proportions.
@l33tpwnzord Not sure what point you’re trying to make. Are you saying because Earth is the only planet that we know that supports life (so far) that is the case for intelligent design? Every time humanity thinks of itself as unique the bubble gets popped with a scientific discovery. To look for purpose in the universe or life, that is noble pursuit. To think that one of the desert religions can provide that answer alone is naive.
We are the only one observable from OUR perspective. If you do research, there is about a 1 in a million chance that there will be life in a galaxy due to the extremely rare conditions that must be apparent to support (our type of) life. now that sounds like a small chance, but not compared to the endless amount of galaxies in "space". i can guarantee you there is life somewhere else. Its just logic. We have life and all necessities, why waste your time wondering why?
@l33tpwnzord So you're basically saying that scoring touchdowns is amazing? (and please don't say "i'd like to see you do it" because no one can do everything there can be done, it's not possible)
I always have a heavy heart when I realize that this man and all others like him will have no defense when they stand before God to be judged. I don't think God will find him nearly as clever or as smart as he belives himself to be.
@acedudeone i always love when the religious pretend to worry for those who they would love to see get their comeuppance. your facade of concern is as pitiful as the nonsense you believe. admit it, youd love to see me and the rest burn for our disbelief.
@acedudeone Nah, I suspect God(tm) would prefer to spend His eternity with Harlan Ellison as opposed to some obsequious moron who piously believes in and worships the monster that's portrayed in the Christian Bible. If you really have a heavy heart, you should consider seeing your cardiologist; he or she will provide much more help than prayer ever will.
Harlan is a lot smarter than every other person obviously, because he can just state for a fact the "the universe doesn't know". It's strange how everybody looks for answers to the big questions when good old Harlan here could just tell us all the absolute truth
I dont get it. Why would I not be able to take responsibilty for my actions if I believe in God? If there is a God, he has clearly given me a free will, thus I must take responsibility for the things I do. People always seem to see a contradiction between belief in a higher Power and being a responsible person.... I really never saw it that way. I also believe if somebody decides not to believe in god its his own right and theres nothing wrong with that. Its not all about being right or wrong
@NoUseForAName06 he is not saying there is anything wrong with beliveing in a god. He says, he thinks people are silly to think god will take responsility for their actions. eg god score this goal for me.
Kinda well said. I totally agree with taking responsibility. Passing it onto God absolves you of any responsibility. Take God out of the equation, who's left to blame? You are. Similarly, if you do something wonderful and you take God out of the equation... yeah. Take responsibility for your own actions, people. God's got nothing to do with your choices: you do.
@mattrichanderson I find nothing more painful when some shmuck beats me til my piss runs red and claims it was cos God told him it was His will. We're loud because we need to tell you guys "we're here. You wanna say 80% of people believe in God so therefore God's real? We're here to tell you we don't, so don't count us".
@superstrangevideo - He doesn't suffer fools gladly - Or at all. He has no patience for people who choose to stay ignorant when faced with the facts. About ANYTHING. God, patriotism, race relations, sexism, whatever.
@superstrangevideo Which is very typical to people who see themselves as better persons than everyone else because they believe in kind-heartness and fairness amongst people, but in reality they're always pissed and talking about how people are bad. Why don't they just set an example and shut up and start doing good?
men.. this person is a living leyend..who rub shoulders with isaac asimov..Ray Bradbury among otheres.. you americans must be proud about him. show some of respect!
It's fascinating how atheists or agnostics turn into rabid dogs about something that (supposedly) does not exist or cannot be proven. Moreover, he completely misunderstands (surprise!) religious views : we don't blame God for things, and if some do, it is not necessarily to avoid personal responsibility.
@mjn76 The reason "they" turn into "rabid dogs" is because as long as faith in God exists human kind will never transcend their bestiality. Hope needs to lie in men and in women, not in God. It may be impossible to prove whether It exists or not but it is obvious that God's existence is useless. Causality is set in motion, God has made a stone it can not move. It is our playground and it is in our hands, not God's.
@brownnoice Fortunately, man "transcended bestiality" via atheistic Communism, which was responsible for the murder of 100 million in merely ~70 years.
@mjn76 Sorry to tell you this but you are still a monkey like the rest of us. Explain the sex trade in India which has idk but at least over 3 million slaves many of which start out at an age of 12 or younger. Is this because they do not believe in your God? Some of them might. Now is it a greater sin to not worship your God or be indifferent? Men are still monkeys and to think otherwise does not allow much room for improvement. Or maybe you think it is ok to rape 12 year olds like in the bible?
@brownnoice The fact that humanity chooses to do terrible things is reflective of God having given us free will. Nice job completely dodging my reply. I'll repost a variation of it again: Did man "transcend bestiality" via atheistic Communism, which was responsible for the murder of 100 million in merely ~70 years? And by the way, if you wish to label people as "monkeys" (most children can reason better) don't include me.
@mjn76 well you reason like one. Monkeys have free will too you know. The reason I insult your reasoning skills is because you fear opening your mind. I don't care what you choose to believe but at the very least leave an opening to the chance that you may be wrong and have faith in yourself and humanity and not just in God. You can reason between two inches and see yourself superior in mind but you are reasoning within two inches... Maybe those w/o faith in God know something you don't.
@Nonamearisto: I think what Ellison is trying to point out is that all people can be irresponsibile, but that one common way to deflect responsibility for your good AND bad actions is to defer it to a higher being that you believe empowered you or forced your hand. It is no different than saying that History has done so or Rationality has done so or your own personal history of neglect or abuse.
@Nonamearisto: I think what Ellison is trying to point out is that all people can be irresponsibile, but that one common way to deflect responsibility for your good AND bad actions is to defer it to a higher being that you believe empowered you or forced your hand. It is no different than saying that History has done so or Rationality has done so or your own personal history of neglect or abuse.
So, to rid ourselves of evil, we should brutally murder those who we think are evil. Not the most persuasive argument, but I suppose I get the message.
Granted that the universe ignores us, why do we care? Aren't we a part of the universe, as well as the determiners of our destination? The universe is as much concerned as we are eager to be, and only as mechanical as one wants to reduce it. But I expect this from a culture that sees its incubator as a resource. Nihilism is just irresponsibility in our delusional severance from the from the truth.
It seems some would rather bitch and moan about the faith of others and how they find God even in tragedy, rather than taking solace in their own faith: i.e., we are here due to randomness and end in meaningless obliteration.
You defy your own logic, for your rage is aimed at a God you claim doesn't exist and at the actions or inactions of this fictional being. More to the point, you're angry that He doesn't act like you wish He would, or how you would were you God.
He took a pause after that. He realized that wasn't the right sentence to say, but he didn't really care.
What he meant was: We were born with the function to have morality and to practice it with reason. We are born Tabula Rasa: We were born with an empty blackboard, and the tool chalk to write all over it with.
He speaks of a 'toolbox' that we've been given full of things like imagination and dreams. Given? By whom? From the universe? Who gave us tools to think morally and rationally? Who gave us tools to create incredible works of music and art Harlan? He has a strong opinion, but still..it's just one man's opinion of God.
nsgutube 3 days ago
@shanethemainman Sound insane? SOUND insane? Of course I SOUND insane. I AM insane. The doctors have confirmed it!
vulcangrl13 4 days ago
This man is my hero and I agree with everything he says.
sexhaie 1 week ago
O.o Personally, I think he's right, but... it's a little ironic that he's the one who came up with AM, the psychotic, all-controlling 'God' in the game/short story 'I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.' XD
AnimeGirl1220 2 weeks ago
Guess he doesn't like Tebow. :D
nightowl2be 2 weeks ago
i disagree with him on many points but still respect him as an author and a person. also i like the bit he said at the end, kinda reminds one of the roman catholic church a few(dozen) generations past. basicly to sum this comment up i agree w/brownking96 completely
MrDavidX96 3 weeks ago
Funny man. But he doesn't undestand the concept of God, as well as the idiots he critisize.
retiber1 3 weeks ago
@retiber1 He understands more than you ever will, son.
MrSighsighsigh 1 week ago
What a sad little man.
l33tpwnzord 1 month ago
@l33tpwnzord he's not sad, he's cranky.
That, and he makes a lot of sense.
zazeify 1 month ago
@l33tpwnzord please refer to "brownking96" who posted a comment lower on this page for a more apropriate responsee
MrDavidX96 3 weeks ago
I'm a proud Christian and I strongly believe in God, however I do think Harlan Ellison has some pretty interesting views. While I might not agree with some of them I certainly took into consideration some of his views.
brownking96 1 month ago 2
@brownking96 You are possibly one of the only Christians I respect. You aren't arrogant and you don't tell everyone that they should believe in what you do and call them "lesser" if they don't. You actually take into consideration other people's views on things, even though you do not agree with them.
Hero16430 1 month ago
I Love This guy!!! Hahaha!! Hell Yeah!
paulturcott 2 months ago
Hey I'm a Christian, I have a personal relationship with Jesus, It's fantastic and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Why Does a lady who follows Jesus all her life gets bone cancer and despite copious amounts of drugs cries out obscenities, that she would never have dream of, but yet some person wins the lottery, and then drinks smokes and enjoys life till the day they die. I DON'T KNOW.....God's still real and a strength to me....Amen.(So be it) I'll take my chances.
rososc 2 months ago
The guy thinks outside the box and did a fantastic job in I have no mouth! I love it x
tonimusher 2 months ago
at 00:48 - "the universe doesn't know we're here" is what scares people more than Satan or evil humans. This is why believers are so aggressive towards atheists and even agnostics.
saintwcf 2 months ago
I'll go with 2000 years of believers. God bless you.
cunningham374 2 months ago
@cunningham374
Just because millions of people have believed something doesn't make it so.
If a man would follow, today, the teachings of the Old Testament, he would be a criminal. If he would follow strictly the teachings of the New, he would be insane.
Crazydog7 1 month ago
This is an interesting man. He does not believe in God yet he clearly believes in morality and ethics. This is strange to me because it seems that without a God there would be no point in being a good person. There also would be no clear definition of what a good person is or is not. He believes in good and evil (evil being just as important as good) but not prime movers of some sort. A much better person to talk to then richard asshole dawkins
Stormbringera7x 2 months ago
@Stormbringera7x I don't find it strange to believe in morality and ethics. They're right there in front of us and we see the effects of both. I don't see how you can honestly think that without God there would be no reason to be nice. Plenty of people in the world don't need God to be nice.
Babies are born, they grow into adults gathering knowledge that has been passed on from times before, they use that knowledge to determine what is right and wrong. Right and wrong is a man made definition.
TheSteelStallion 2 months ago
@Stormbringera7x
'without a God there would be no point in being a good person.'
people always say this kind of thing, and it always makes me think of what moms used to tell their kids: 'Be good for goodness' sake'
the 'point' of being good is it's a better way to be-even if you don't believe in "God', the payoff is there in better nights sleep and better and deeper friendships and relationships[ Being good=being trusted]
PorkFrog 2 months ago
@Stormbringera7x I hear the argument that "good cannot exist without God" rather often, and that presumption is potently incorrect. Ellison's definition of "good" isn't fundamentally preceded by religion, and reasonably so. Rather, he clearly roots his idea of "good" in natural law and pragmatic utilitarianism. "Good" is that which brings about the greatest amount of benefit for the most people for the longest possible period of time.
Bookster343 1 month ago
@Stormbringera7x This is utter crap. And you're right, there is no clear definition of morality. Morality is contextual, a system formed by society, not by a god. You consider murder a sin, right? In ancient Aztec culture, human sacrifice was a moral necessity. To be chosen for sacrifice was considered an honor, and the person sacrificed was revered. You consider suicide a sin? In Japan, seppuku was the ultimate means for a samurai to redeem honor for his people and emperor.
PachucoDesigns 1 month ago
If anybody wants a religious discussion meet me on the David Icke forum, i'm calling yer out..:)
TungstenKid 2 months ago
"One day you'll win the lottery, the next day you'll get colon cancer. [...] There's no reason."
How is that proof that God could intend no good out of that situation? Not that you should spending your money on lottery anyway.
But to clarify, if you read Romans 8:28, "in all things God works for the good of those who love him". No promise there for those who don't.
So yes, there would be ultimately no purpose for what happens to many, but it doesn't mean God is random or unknowable.
highwind8124 2 months ago
@highwind8124 , very well said!
chrisman737 2 months ago
@highwind8124 Who said Harlan here was saying the person who gets cancer was a non-believer?
Believe in God all you want but for an all loving God to be the reason a football player plays so well at his or her sport is silly. To think God would allow one team to win against another, who could or could not be believers in God, is even more silly.
IMO, God and religion of any kind is just rules set by people form long ago to make us live a certain way because of promise. Nothing more.
TheSteelStallion 2 months ago
What a great guy. I'm starting to feel like I was born in the wrong body. Is there a surgery to turn me into a cranky old Hebrew?
yourtunesfuckinsuck 3 months ago
He's an interesting character, but he's very pesimistic and has little sympathy for others born into indoctrinating societies. Though he has a few points worth discussing.
Gleebroyable 3 months ago
This is not Harlan Ellison on god. This is Harlan Ellison's brain on popcorn. And I'm getting a little tired of people capitalizing "god". It doesn't deserve that type of reverence.
SenorCajones 3 months ago
Still can't figure out why the person who uploaded this cut the actual Mark Twain quote (as it's in the doc film this segment is taken from) ...
"If there is a God, he is a malign thug."
TheeUnidentified 3 months ago
So his ultimate attitude to God....I don't care. Just stop doing bad stuff.
Thing is, beliefs and principles are usually intertwined, and influence our actions...
Minion066 3 months ago
@Minion066 Yeah...good...er...point (?). Actually, not sure that you have a point. Just saying shit to make other people try to decode you? That's so 2010...
SenorCajones 3 months ago
@SenorCajones No way, the decoding of the universe never goes out of fashion :P
Minion066 3 months ago
@Minion066 The decoding of the universe? More like the decoding of sophistry...the smokescreen you and your ilk put up to make it all seem so complex.
SenorCajones 2 months ago
@SenorCajones I'm sorry you see it that way, didn't see the need for you to attack me though...but I guess if you believe in nothing, it figures.
Minion066 1 month ago
He likes to hear his own voice that's for sure. I read one or two of his books in the seventies. I have just listened to three of his rants on YouTube. That's enough Harlan Ellison for one lifetime, I think.
gwales 3 months ago
@gwales I haven't heard any of what he says, and I already agree with that statement.
SenorCajones 3 months ago
Uterus doesn't know, it doesn't care.
BlackSephir 4 months ago
I just want everyone to know that I am a Christian, and I love Harlan Ellison's stories and encourage others to read and enjoy them. While I disagree with his opinions on religion and God, I respect the right of others to be entitled to their own opinion. Thank you.
EltonvonCthulhu 4 months ago
@EltonvonCthulhu How BIG of you.
SenorCajones 2 months ago
@SenorCajones Yeesh, sorry, just trying to be nice.
EltonvonCthulhu 2 months ago
i dont get how u go from idealistic hippy with cool voice to this
posthumanhero 5 months ago
@posthumanhero
It's called growing older... and wiser.
GhibliFan1 3 months ago
@GhibliFan1 perhaps......it could also be called growing jaded.
posthumanhero 3 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@posthumanhero You both need to try to use more descriptive language than all of these cliches you're so fond of.
SenorCajones 3 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@posthumanhero Maybe if you gave up being posthuman, and worked to regain your HUMANITY, you'd understand. Transhumanism is turning us into unfeeling robots...
jnnx 2 months ago
All I hear is AM and that makes this video ten times better
nickringer 5 months ago 3
My interpretation : A football player thanks God for the touch down, because God placed him here on earth. Not because God was with him during that touch down. Someone who uses logic would have analyzed both situations and would have made a logical decision based on both the factors of God and Logic. You sort of bypassed both, Harlan, and jumped straight into pessimism. In other words, you seem to be the kind of person who holds a grudge, not logic.
roxstudiodesigns 5 months ago
@roxstudiodesigns I played 3 years and I never remember ever hear my team mates thank god for putting them on Earth after a touch down. Rappers are even worse when they literally thank god for receiving their awards. If there is a god I really don't think. Can you imagine "Yes it is time that we award punks ass hoes, that need to give the ass for some cash after the drive by."
hank1972 5 months ago 2
@roxstudiodesigns I've never seen a football player thank God for putting him here on earth after he fumbles the ball.
MrArmageddon666 3 months ago
@MrArmageddon666 Football players are not thanking god for putting them on earth when they do anything. They're just pointing at stuff, because they've seen some other douchebag do it. Actually, that behavior is so widespread, I think that it must be a paid act. People never did that crap in years past. People have become more and more senselessly demonstrative of nothing in the past...oh, 40 years.
SenorCajones 3 months ago
"I dont care if your mommy locked you the basement... STOP Doing it!"
rnasterpiece 5 months ago 3
I'm a Christian and all, but he's right about the athletes thanking God. God has more important things to do than watch over a game played by overpaid crybabies.
vulcangrl13 5 months ago 5
@vulcangrl13 lmao
shanethemainman 4 days ago
@vulcangrl13 If only you were around when more brains are evolved.. you don't even realize how insane you sound. Think about it.
shanethemainman 4 days ago
@mattrichanderson : How does that matter here? Why dont we just try and understand what he is talking about and may or may not agree with him. If he has AIDS which is a bad case or not doesnot influence our opinion about the video, does it?
chetrshah 6 months ago 2
diligently seek Him...
PsycoticFeatures 6 months ago
i almost feel like these thoughts were running through his mind that night he wrote I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream
oioioijellyroll 6 months ago
I never knew that Harlan Ellison was so compassionate. No sarcasm.
MrXmyselfx 6 months ago 15
@MrXmyselfx I never knew he was so existing...until now...no sarcasm. Who the fuck is this tool?
SenorCajones 3 months ago
I love his final sentence in this, like a beautiful bloody cherry. What a Fucking Boss.
no0neiv 6 months ago
You spelled the title of the video wrong, it should read Harlan Ellison Is God.
starkweather444 6 months ago 3
Religion gives people a way to not take responsibility for their actions.
ShadowGunner82 6 months ago
THANK YOU BASED GOD
ScoopsTherobotreal1 6 months ago
I like that guy.
Antikryst 7 months ago
Why are there so many characters in these comments? what are these people talking about? Con't we just say its a nice first video and hope he gets more?
AdamRaijuu 7 months ago
@heavens7thloaf : Black holes are not 'somewhat unseen', they are *completely invisible* to the naked eye because light in the visible spectrum does not escape from them due to their tremendous gravitational field also affecting electromagnetic radiation. Occult means hidden, and though black holes are invisible, they are not hidden. I don't care about claims not backed up by evidence. If I should experience a chance encounter with a ghost (technically competent or not), I'll get back to you.
daemonomaniac 7 months ago
@heavens7thloaf : Odd question, I suppose you mean 'do ghosts exist'? As if ghosts and black holes have anything in common, or the occurrence of one enables the existence of the other. But if direct comparison is important to you, then by the same token, sure - if you can prove how they also distort gravity fields. Seriously, though: memories of other people reside in the brains of the still living, not in the molecules of the air. What is dead is dead, but the brain is a sucker for illusions.
daemonomaniac 7 months ago
@heavens7thloaf : The universe is neither evil nor benign. Those words are constructs, applicable only to ourselves, not the void. Indifferent is a better word, yet still awkward for something lacking the capacity to care. Magicians are real, magic isn't - even if illusions can be beautiful. Sorry about your thumb, try to enjoy life before you end up in said grave. No reason to sit around and wait for the inevitable. Btw, black holes are unseen, yet science proves them by indirect observation.
daemonomaniac 7 months ago
@heavens7thloaf : it's called evolution. Over billions of years, organisms have evolved by necessity to survive in ever changing and often dangerous environments. The universe STILL doesn't care, because it is simply not a sentient being with the capacity for emotional investment. I suppose it's only natural for pattern seeking human beings to compare other organisms to ourselves, but bestowing life upon the vast nothingness is a bit on the far side, even for an alleged astral rape victim.
daemonomaniac 7 months ago
@heavens7thloaf : If this world is so bad, why not just give up? Or better yet, try to help and improve it? After all, there is no known alternative, and complaining on YouTube won't accomplish anything! Also (again), locations cannot be evil, but the distribution of wealth and assets may be unfair for a number of reasons, another matter entirely. I understand you're a Christian, do yourself a favor and watch the Free Will video by user 'GrapplingIgnorance', video ID is X7P-6LQBN80. Signing off.
daemonomaniac 7 months ago
Some looneybrained twat has marked this video as abusive on Facebook, just the kind of behavior you'd expect from the frightened little sheep of 'God' unable to cope with pertinent criticism on the singularly stupid idea of an omnipotent yet invisible supernatural being creating itself just to mindf**k the unlucky inhabitants of an insignificant planet so that they can kill one another over different ridiculous opinions about what their sky-daddy thinks they should and should not say and do.
daemonomaniac 7 months ago
Harlan Ellison: Spouting thoughtless bullcrap, platitudes since 1934.
Jcolinsol 8 months ago
So he just thanked "heavens" that Twain backs him in he's belief there is no God. Also, Twain was a believer in God, just not in the bible or a Christian.
savedfaves 8 months ago
Exactly. Harlan Ellison does not suffer fools gladly.
kharmabum 8 months ago
Athletes thank God in a wider sense, for the gifts they were given, and partly the luck to prevail with them. Harlan is being disingenuous. He also gave PKD the heebie jeebies.
Quasi8 8 months ago
@Quasi8 It really doesn't matter, wheater there is a god in some sense, or not. Harlan hates, when the people refuse to take responsibility for the deeds, he hates the fools, who don't use their brains and use their own god to their purpose. They don't hear really him(noone has heard him), they just need the right to feed their hatred, arogance. Harlan's talking about ethics, kindness and so on. He's not a devil. He just hates the evil and the evil doesn't mean god, but the bad people, who abuse
QWYX9 8 months ago
@Quasi8 supernatural things by their selfishness and the desire to control masses by giving them a free redemtion and a neverendnig life. Harlan has said many wise things and has written many amazing books. If you just listen to him and forget about the question God or not and you think about, what is he really saying, you can easily hear: Ethics, courage, kindness, friendship. Isn't that good? How can be this person disingenuous? The religions say the same thing. People are bad and they
QWYX9 8 months ago
@Quasi8 create themselves a bad god, who obeys them, that's it. If you are trying to live a good life, you can have a good god.
QWYX9 8 months ago
This guy talks like he's on speed. xD He talks too quickly and fumbles on his words a lot.
UndertakeThis 8 months ago
@UndertakeThis genius does not wait for breath
ZoeCharlotteLeonora 8 months ago
watch?v=ipdR_90Bt4s - The Essence of American Power
NationalElitism2 8 months ago
Sorry to interrupt again, but i forgot to say something important. I have a proof, that soul doesn't exist. Let me get this straight. If you want to sense something, you have to have sensors as eyes or ears. If you want to reed them, you have to have a brain. So if you die and you lose your brain and your sensors, you can't feel or sense anything. You can have a soul, but it doesn't matter, because you won't have the abilty to suffer in hell or something else.
QWYX9 9 months ago
the universe is random
bellyzbad 9 months ago
"Oh well who created the machine?...I dont give a FUCK who created the machine" hahaha
MattEdmondsonx 9 months ago 23
@MattEdmondsonx Which machine?
SenorCajones 3 months ago
"Ratiocination". Great word.
tonystark106422 9 months ago
"If one truly believes there is an all-powerful Deity, and one looks around at the condition of the universe, one is led inescapably to the conclusion that God is a malign thug." twain
americangil 10 months ago 3
Im really surprised on how few dislikes this has, deliberately against god. I wonder if atheism and like for his type of literature are linked, thus bringing those people to search for Harlan Ellison, bringing us here.
EagerSleeper 10 months ago
Atheists can be decent, nice, kind people, but if they've not "mind-melded" with Jesus they're gonna be in a world o' hurt when their body dies and their soul's got nowhere to fly.
But anybody who's melded or "locked on" to Jesus before they die will find their soul homing in on him like a guided missile.
In military parlance, missiles without lockons "go stupid" and fly off into the void.
The bottom line is Jesus was a great guy so why the hell wouldn't anybody want to meld with him anyway?
TungstenKid 10 months ago
@TungstenKid So you say, that he, who loves us all, cares about if you believe in him or not? So if I'm a good person and I don't believe, I go nowhere? And that's the justice? P.S. There's no soul. There's no reason. You won't have an infinite orgasm after you die. Forget it. P.P.S. I think, that's just stupid to think, that we are something more, than other animals. We fucked up everything we could. The catholic churh are hypocrits. They talk about poverty and wear golden robes and have
QWYX9 10 months ago
@TungstenKid milions. They aren't able to solve the children problem. I know, there are some good guys there, but the most of them.... I find ridiculous to think, that the universe was created for one soul, who wants to judge people he creates. The earth is not the centre of the universe. Now, how does it help you, if you take his body and blood? It just doesn't make you better. You can just wipe all your sins every sunday. And when the god apears, it ever happens without a reason and doesn't
QWYX9 10 months ago
@TungstenKid help or change anyone... mostly. The god really didn't say anything to people. Like the Saint Mathew holiday. Why should god like pepole to bake bread and leave it on the ground? Why doesn't he wont something reasonable, like make a peace with your enemies, or work all day? It's not god. It's the PEOPLE. The stupid people and the smart, who control them. Most people are just stupid, hypocrites, lazy, envious. They take those rocks of greednes and pity and throw tham at each other.
QWYX9 10 months ago
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1984LizardKing 10 months ago
@TungstenKid the bottom line is,is you are delusional.why would i want to meld with some guy that never existed? no real evidence at all,just biblical scholars words for it.nah!! even if he did exist,even if he was born of a virgin birth,which is ridculous,why should anyone believe he is the son of the creator of the universe? add that to the fact he was a false messiah anyway.no one called him jmannuel,he wasnt descended from david etc etc.you think he resurrected a whole town? you are insane!!
1984LizardKing 9 months ago
@TungstenKid so jesus is the son of god,but is god and the holy spirit at the same time? really normal way to think.
so basically god turned into a ghost to fuck a women who had a baby who was gods son and god at the same time,then he could treat his mother like shit then disappear for 2/3 of his"documented" life,reappear so he could convince people he was gods son and die for our sins and ascend into the sky to be reunited with errrrr.............himself??????? why is your god the real one?
1984LizardKing 9 months ago 2
@TungstenKid Correct me if I'm wrong, but mind-melding is basically like raping someone's mind. That is a rather unpleasant experience.
ShadowSoldior 9 months ago
Harlan says there's no god, but Jesus says there is, so who are we to believe?
Hmm...that's a toughie
TungstenKid 10 months ago
@TungstenKid Well, I've met Harlan face to face and can vouch that he's a real person... in fact, about as real as they get.
Jesus? Unless you're talking about the guy who runs the paint department at our local Home Depot and pronounces his name "hey-ZOOS," I've never met Jesus.
OldeAtheist 4 months ago
When he says "I don't know, you don't know, and nobody will ever know" He is 100% right on.I hate when people try to tell me they know what's going on. Bullshit.
harwicke 11 months ago
Seems like god debates are just for atheists and religion to tell each other: you're the bad. Well, I'm atheist and I go with Ellison, and I think, that it all basicaly depends on your reasoning and well thinking. If you're reasonable enough, it will be my pleasure to meet you. The belief itself doesn't make you good or bad. Sorry for my bad English.
QWYX9 11 months ago
Why does the clip cut out (at 0:45) the second part of Mark Twain's quote about god being "a malign thug?"
Anyhow..insightful documentary. Previously the only footage of Harlan I'd seen was back in the 90s when Sci Fi Channel ran a weekly 'buzz' show that often featured a review/rant segment with him. He turned me on to Frankenheimer's Seconds!
Harlan, along with George Carlin, Chomsky and Bill Hicks, had tremendous influence on helping to shape my political views during my formative yrs.
TheeUnidentified 11 months ago
"Pot-lickin ministers" is my new favorite insult now. :)
GarlicPudding 11 months ago
I love intelligent Americans like Harlan. I hate thick twats like Paris Hilton. Stupid export TV in Britain from America, stop poisoning the proletarian minds with up their own arse, stupid, thick Americans!
lab32 11 months ago
Sounds likes hes put just as much thought into life as St. Thomas Aquinas did.
sinjyn66 11 months ago
It isn't enough that our atoms were created in the furnace of long dead stars or the fact we are stuck to what basically is a planet stabilized by an out-sized moon, or we circle a vast nuclear fireball 93 million miles away. It isn't enough we are the sentient beings living on the crust of molten rock in a rapidly cooling universe born from a singularity.. No, some fuckers have to invent "Sky Pixies" to judge us.
spacemonkeygod 11 months ago 3
@spacemonkeygod
Isn't it just a *tiny* coincidence that we are the only observable planet in the universe upon which life is found? To not look for a purpose behind that coincidence requires a suspension of disbelief in exponential proportions.
l33tpwnzord 11 months ago
@l33tpwnzord Not sure what point you’re trying to make. Are you saying because Earth is the only planet that we know that supports life (so far) that is the case for intelligent design? Every time humanity thinks of itself as unique the bubble gets popped with a scientific discovery. To look for purpose in the universe or life, that is noble pursuit. To think that one of the desert religions can provide that answer alone is naive.
spacemonkeygod 11 months ago 3
@l33tpwnzord
who says?
We are the only one observable from OUR perspective. If you do research, there is about a 1 in a million chance that there will be life in a galaxy due to the extremely rare conditions that must be apparent to support (our type of) life. now that sounds like a small chance, but not compared to the endless amount of galaxies in "space". i can guarantee you there is life somewhere else. Its just logic. We have life and all necessities, why waste your time wondering why?
tam4511 11 months ago
Hey Harlan, when your fat ass is scoring touchdowns you get to decide who to thank. Until then, shut up and go die.
Thanks, God
l33tpwnzord 11 months ago
@l33tpwnzord hey look a message from God. did you not just hear what the man said?
LordSib 11 months ago
@l33tpwnzord idiot
MyFatTube 11 months ago
@l33tpwnzord So you're basically saying that scoring touchdowns is amazing? (and please don't say "i'd like to see you do it" because no one can do everything there can be done, it's not possible)
kirlinks 11 months ago
HARLAN ELLISON is an amazing man! OH! LOVE HIM!
comicbookfan1234 1 year ago
Love this man
catbsometimes1 1 year ago
I always have a heavy heart when I realize that this man and all others like him will have no defense when they stand before God to be judged. I don't think God will find him nearly as clever or as smart as he belives himself to be.
acedudeone 1 year ago
@acedudeone i always love when the religious pretend to worry for those who they would love to see get their comeuppance. your facade of concern is as pitiful as the nonsense you believe. admit it, youd love to see me and the rest burn for our disbelief.
fraserdldavidson 1 year ago
@acedudeone be careful, your pride is one of the deadly sins,
TheHellRaider 1 year ago
@acedudeone
oh you
SilentCritic 1 year ago
@acedudeone Nah, I suspect God(tm) would prefer to spend His eternity with Harlan Ellison as opposed to some obsequious moron who piously believes in and worships the monster that's portrayed in the Christian Bible. If you really have a heavy heart, you should consider seeing your cardiologist; he or she will provide much more help than prayer ever will.
rtydhg9q 1 year ago
@rtydhg9q
Right because anyone who follows Jesus in acts of compassion and love must be an "obsequious moron"
Classic.
l33tpwnzord 11 months ago
I can't stand when smart people resort to barbarism when it suits them after having claimed the intellectual high ground. Pick one Harlan.
JatobaBokken 1 year ago
Terrible and intolerant way to think.
pabloamira 1 year ago
Harlan is a lot smarter than every other person obviously, because he can just state for a fact the "the universe doesn't know". It's strange how everybody looks for answers to the big questions when good old Harlan here could just tell us all the absolute truth
sneakybastardjerkoff 1 year ago
Bravo!!!
atlasspike 1 year ago
this guy looks like he thinks too much
Comrade2face 1 year ago
@Comrade2face
Kurzula5150 1 year ago
@Comrade2face Just checked out your uploads - maybe you're right, guess I'd say he's diametrically opposite to you - it's all good.
Kurzula5150 1 year ago
@Kurzula5150 hehehe you cheeky monkey
Comrade2face 1 year ago
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@Comrade2face
Wow that's the dumbest comment I have read all week. Thanks.
Crazydog7 1 year ago
Runs a runs a runs a runs a runs a
Kalhalla 1 year ago 3
This guy is the crazy badass grandpa every person on the planet wishes they could have.
TwoRavingPsychopaths 1 year ago 70
@TwoRavingPsychopaths Not really... He's kind of an asshole. My grandpa was the shit.
chuckb11 6 months ago
I dont get it. Why would I not be able to take responsibilty for my actions if I believe in God? If there is a God, he has clearly given me a free will, thus I must take responsibility for the things I do. People always seem to see a contradiction between belief in a higher Power and being a responsible person.... I really never saw it that way. I also believe if somebody decides not to believe in god its his own right and theres nothing wrong with that. Its not all about being right or wrong
NoUseForAName06 1 year ago
@NoUseForAName06 he is not saying there is anything wrong with beliveing in a god. He says, he thinks people are silly to think god will take responsility for their actions. eg god score this goal for me.
dlane1987 1 year ago
Kinda well said. I totally agree with taking responsibility. Passing it onto God absolves you of any responsibility. Take God out of the equation, who's left to blame? You are. Similarly, if you do something wonderful and you take God out of the equation... yeah. Take responsibility for your own actions, people. God's got nothing to do with your choices: you do.
pcaggegi 1 year ago
@mattrichanderson I find nothing more painful when some shmuck beats me til my piss runs red and claims it was cos God told him it was His will. We're loud because we need to tell you guys "we're here. You wanna say 80% of people believe in God so therefore God's real? We're here to tell you we don't, so don't count us".
pcaggegi 1 year ago
@pcaggegi soooo, that happens to you often? ;-)
NoUseForAName06 1 year ago
This guy was raped as a child.
FlowerMoonBeamUnit 1 year ago
Awesome. I have a similar point of view. Just not as rage filled :P
Paool3107 1 year ago 2
@Paool3107 He's not so much rage filled as he is probably more impatient with morons all around him.
superstrangevideo 1 year ago 46
@superstrangevideo - He doesn't suffer fools gladly - Or at all. He has no patience for people who choose to stay ignorant when faced with the facts. About ANYTHING. God, patriotism, race relations, sexism, whatever.
knoxvilleguy2 1 year ago
@knoxvilleguy2 Yeah pretty much sums up what I wrote initially : )
superstrangevideo 1 year ago
@superstrangevideo Read comment accidentally mis - posted below.
knoxvilleguy2 1 year ago
@knoxvilleguy2 He has no patience for morons - & he very often tells them to screw themselves. He pretty much refrained from that this time.
knoxvilleguy2 1 year ago
@superstrangevideo Which is very typical to people who see themselves as better persons than everyone else because they believe in kind-heartness and fairness amongst people, but in reality they're always pissed and talking about how people are bad. Why don't they just set an example and shut up and start doing good?
kirlinks 11 months ago
men.. this person is a living leyend..who rub shoulders with isaac asimov..Ray Bradbury among otheres.. you americans must be proud about him. show some of respect!
orlandothx 1 year ago
@orlandothx
Well, I'm American and I sure am proud.
takingbacksados 1 year ago
Mr Hound sent me here and i was pleased
RickieNathanMarsden 1 year ago
It's fascinating how atheists or agnostics turn into rabid dogs about something that (supposedly) does not exist or cannot be proven. Moreover, he completely misunderstands (surprise!) religious views : we don't blame God for things, and if some do, it is not necessarily to avoid personal responsibility.
Ellison is quite the arrogant prick.
mjn76 1 year ago
@mjn76 The reason "they" turn into "rabid dogs" is because as long as faith in God exists human kind will never transcend their bestiality. Hope needs to lie in men and in women, not in God. It may be impossible to prove whether It exists or not but it is obvious that God's existence is useless. Causality is set in motion, God has made a stone it can not move. It is our playground and it is in our hands, not God's.
brownnoice 1 year ago
@brownnoice Fortunately, man "transcended bestiality" via atheistic Communism, which was responsible for the murder of 100 million in merely ~70 years.
mjn76 1 year ago
@mjn76 Sorry to tell you this but you are still a monkey like the rest of us. Explain the sex trade in India which has idk but at least over 3 million slaves many of which start out at an age of 12 or younger. Is this because they do not believe in your God? Some of them might. Now is it a greater sin to not worship your God or be indifferent? Men are still monkeys and to think otherwise does not allow much room for improvement. Or maybe you think it is ok to rape 12 year olds like in the bible?
brownnoice 1 year ago
@brownnoice The fact that humanity chooses to do terrible things is reflective of God having given us free will. Nice job completely dodging my reply. I'll repost a variation of it again: Did man "transcend bestiality" via atheistic Communism, which was responsible for the murder of 100 million in merely ~70 years? And by the way, if you wish to label people as "monkeys" (most children can reason better) don't include me.
mjn76 1 year ago
@mjn76 well you reason like one. Monkeys have free will too you know. The reason I insult your reasoning skills is because you fear opening your mind. I don't care what you choose to believe but at the very least leave an opening to the chance that you may be wrong and have faith in yourself and humanity and not just in God. You can reason between two inches and see yourself superior in mind but you are reasoning within two inches... Maybe those w/o faith in God know something you don't.
brownnoice 1 year ago
@mjn76
If your god is omnipotent, then ultimately anything can be blamed on him.
xMKIVxVR6x 1 year ago
His ideas are false. Religions have historically encouraged personal responsibility, not sought a way to pin the blame on God.
Nonamearisto 1 year ago
@Nonamearisto: I think what Ellison is trying to point out is that all people can be irresponsibile, but that one common way to deflect responsibility for your good AND bad actions is to defer it to a higher being that you believe empowered you or forced your hand. It is no different than saying that History has done so or Rationality has done so or your own personal history of neglect or abuse.
suprsikosxy 1 year ago
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@Nonamearisto: I think what Ellison is trying to point out is that all people can be irresponsibile, but that one common way to deflect responsibility for your good AND bad actions is to defer it to a higher being that you believe empowered you or forced your hand. It is no different than saying that History has done so or Rationality has done so or your own personal history of neglect or abuse.
suprsikosxy 1 year ago
Right, right!
Wingedmagician 1 year ago
Thanks for the upload...didn't even know it existed...one of my all time favorite writers..*tip of the hat*...peace be with :)
MasterOhSo 1 year ago
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I can't stand this jew.
sdflksdfkfh 1 year ago
So, to rid ourselves of evil, we should brutally murder those who we think are evil. Not the most persuasive argument, but I suppose I get the message.
modustheoperandi 1 year ago
I hope I'm this sharp and scathing when I'm in my 70s.
BiffMP5 1 year ago
Hail mary.
TinQuasimodo 1 year ago
God doesn''t do things. he only gives you the oppurtunity. He was thanking Him for the oppurtunity.
swantonist 1 year ago
@swantonist Giving is doing.
TinQuasimodo 1 year ago
Right on, Harlan!
waldenandwilson 1 year ago
Granted that the universe ignores us, why do we care? Aren't we a part of the universe, as well as the determiners of our destination? The universe is as much concerned as we are eager to be, and only as mechanical as one wants to reduce it. But I expect this from a culture that sees its incubator as a resource. Nihilism is just irresponsibility in our delusional severance from the from the truth.
0Fear 1 year ago
It seems some would rather bitch and moan about the faith of others and how they find God even in tragedy, rather than taking solace in their own faith: i.e., we are here due to randomness and end in meaningless obliteration.
You defy your own logic, for your rage is aimed at a God you claim doesn't exist and at the actions or inactions of this fictional being. More to the point, you're angry that He doesn't act like you wish He would, or how you would were you God.
Thank God you're not.
octopibingo 1 year ago
"We were given,"
He took a pause after that. He realized that wasn't the right sentence to say, but he didn't really care.
What he meant was: We were born with the function to have morality and to practice it with reason. We are born Tabula Rasa: We were born with an empty blackboard, and the tool chalk to write all over it with.
Hiroutu 1 year ago